@thegoanonline THURSDAY FEBRUARY 27, 2025 4 months after opening, state-of-the-art court complex at Merces remains unused IN SHORT >> Centre opposes life ban on convicted lawmakers NEW DELHI: The Centre has opposed in the Supreme Court a plea seeking life ban on convicted politicians, saying imposing such a disqualification was solely within the domain of Parliament.   >> See pg 8 DMG seeks CRZ nod for sand mining PANAJI: Following Environmental Clearances (ECs) for sand extraction, the Directorate of Mines and Geology (DMG) has now approached Goa Coastal Zone Management Authority (GCZMA) seeking CRZ clearance for undertaking sand mining in 12 zones across River Mandovi and Zuari.  >> See pg 3 Kavale Math Swami not cooperating: Cops PANAJI: The Ponda police strongly objecting to the plea filed before the High Court by Shrimat Shivananda Saraswati Swami of Kavale Math, seeking the cancellation of an first information report registered against him, contended that he and his accomplice have not been cooperating with the investigation, particularly in providing the Power of Attorney related to the alleged fraudulent sale of property.   >> See pg 3 5 held for forging airport entry pass VASCO: In a major security breach at Goa International Airport at Dabolim, five individuals were arrested on charges of forging Airport Entry Passes (AEP) and using them to gain unauthorised access to the restricted area of the Dabolim airport terminal.  >> See pg 5 WEATHER >> Max: 32 C Min: 25 C Humidity: 66% TIDES Low: High: 05:04 16:59 10:52 23:36 The Goan E-Paper (Playstore/IOS) 14 pages PRICE ` 10 PANAJI MARGAO GOA VOLUME X, NO. 250 Instagram.com/thegoanonline 3 FLOATING JETTIES CONNECTING CAVELOSSIM, BETUL FORT, LIGHTHOUSE PLANNED; MAPUSA RIVER ROUTE PLAN DROPPED THE GOAN I NETWORK PANAJI The Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) has proposed to develop a river cruise circuit along River Sal connecting Cavelossim-Betul Fort and Betul lighthouse. Total three floating jetties are proposed for development. The Authority, at the same time, has dropped its plan to go ahead with the proposed cruise circuit covering Britona Jetty–Aldona Jetty along Mapusa River as the area does not have any major tourist attractions. The IWAI during its meeting held earlier last week, reviewed the progress of three river cruise circuits sanctioned for Goa. During the meeting, the Authority noted that a budget river cruise circuit was pro- WATER TRANSPORT REVOLUTION Cruise circuit development „„IWAI proposes a cruise route connecting Cavelossim, Betul Fort, and Betul Lighthouse with three floating jetties „„A cruise circuit from upstream Morjim to Colvale Dhargal Bridge is under development, with two floating jetties planned „„Ten additional floating jetties on Cumbharjua Canal, Mandovi, and Zuari Rivers are expected to be completed by June 2025 „„The Cumbharjua Canal and Mandovi River will be dredged to ensure smooth navigation posed connecting Britona Jetty–Aldona Jetty along Mapusa River. However, since Aldona is well connected by road network and there are no major places of tourist interest, it was decided to drop the pro- posal for now. Meanwhile, the Authority has taken up development of a cruise circuit at the Upstream Morjim – Colvale Dhargal Bridge on Chapora River. Two floating jetties in the river Digital-only payments for traffic fines from March 1 MOVE AIMS TO PROMOTE DIGITAL TRANSACTIONS, STREAMLINE PAYMENTS AND ELIMINATE CASH TRANSACTIONS THE GOAN I NETWORK PANAJI In a major shift towards digital transactions, the Traffic Department has announced that from March 1, cash payments will no longer be accepted for compounding challans issued under the Motor Vehicles Act/ Rules. A notice issued by the Deputy Superintendent of Police, Traffic (HQ), Panaji, on Wednesday, informed all motorists that the shift will promote digital payments and streamline the payment process for uncompounded challans. “To promote digital payments and facilitate easy payment of uncompounded challans issued under Motor Vehicle Act/ Rules, with effect from March 1, 2025 no cash payment will be accepted while compounding challans issued under Motor Vehicle Act/ Rules. All challans will be compounded only through digital modes, including deb- ON 22 FEB THE NOTICE: DIGITAL MODE „„To promote digital payments and facilitate easy payment of uncompounded challans issued under Motor Vehicle Act/ Rules, with effect from March 1, 2025 no cash payment will be accepted while compounding challans issued under Motor Vehicle Act/ Rules it/ credit card, QR code (generated on the e-challan machine), and the online portal: echallan.parivahan.gov.in/ index/accused-challan,” the notice stated. The link for online payment will also be sent to violators via SMS. The Goan was the first to report that Goa Police acknowl- edged flaws in its e-challan mechanism, prompting the decision to switch to a digital-only system and eliminate cash transactions. Those unable to pay on the spot will have to visit a designated Traffic Cell or Police Station to settle their challan. A dedicated ledger will be maintained to track transactions. for cruise tourism have been considered. The river cruise is proposed till Alorna Fort. IWAI also noted that the river cruise circuit connecting the tourism jetty Patto-Chorao Island-Old Goa-Divar Island-Cortalim along Cumbharjua canal and Mandovi River is currently operational. The Authority noted that ten additional floating jetties on Cumbharjua Canal, Mandovi and Zuari River are awarded and the same is expected to be completed by June, this year. Also, the dredging of both Cumbharjua canal and Mandovi River has been planned for smooth navigation. The Authority has now proposed a cruise circuit at Sal River and three floating jetties are proposed for the same >Continued on P8 The heat is on: Goa sizzles at 37.6°C THE GOAN I NETWORK PANAJI Goa continued to reel under extreme heat as the maximum temperature soared to 37.6°C on Wednesday, marking a sharp rise from 36.5°C on Tuesday and 37.4°C on Monday. Wednesday’s temperature was 5.2°C above normal levels, in what seemed heatwave-like conditions. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) Goa stated that the minimum temperature stood at 22.3°C while humidity levels dropped further to 56 per cent, down from 68 per cent on Tuesday and nearly 80 per cent on Monday. IMD Goa has forecast that hot and humid conditions will persist over isolated pockets across Goa for the next two days, with maximum temperatures likely to remain between 35°C and 37°C. Dry weather is expected across both districts with shallow to moderate fog likely in the mornings. The department has advised people to take necessary precautions, including staying hydrated and limiting outdoor activities. Trump pushes for wealthy migrants with $5 mn ‘gold card’ PTI WASHINGTON resident Donald Trump said on Tuesday that he plans to offer a gold card visa with a path to citizenship for USD 5 million, replacing a 35-year-old visa for investors. “They’ll be wealthy and they’ll be successful, and they’ll be spending a lot of money and paying a lot of taxes and employing a lot of people, and we think it’s going to be extremely successful, Trump said in the Oval Office. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said the Trump Gold Card would replace EB-5 visas in two weeks. EB-5s were created by Congress in 1990 to generate foreign investment and are available to people who spend about USD1 million P PATH TO US CITIZENSHIP „„The new $5 million ‘gold card’ visa aims to attract wealthy and successful individuals who will spend, invest, and create jobs in the US, replacing the existing EB-5 investor visa programme „„The gold card would increase the investment requirement and reduce fraud risks associated with the EB-5 programme „„Trump claims that Congress wouldn’t need to approve the gold card programme, though citizenship requirements are determined by Congress „„Trump describes the visa as benefiting both wealthy investors and highly skilled individuals, suggesting that companies could sponsor talented individuals on a company that employs at least 10 people. Lutnick said the gold card actually a green card, or permanent legal residency would raise the price of admission for investors and do away with fraud and nonsense that he said characterise the EB-5 programme. Like other green cards, it would include a path to citizenship. About 8,000 people obtained investor visas in the 12-month period ending September 30, 2022, according to the Homeland Security Department’s most recent Yearbook of Immigration Statistics. The Congressional Research Service reported in 2021 that EB-5 visas pose risks of fraud, including verification that funds were obtained legally. Investors’ visas are common around the world. Henley & Partners, an advisory firm, says more than 100 countries around the world offer golden visas to wealthy individuals, including the United States, United Kingdom, Spain, Greece, Malta, Australia, Canada and Italy. Trump made no mention of Afghanistan knocks England out of Champions Trophy  Pg 14 RNI: GOAENG/2015/65729 Tourism boost: River Sal set to get cruise circuit ARY >> See PG 3 Facebook.com/thegoan RU log on to thegoan.net the requirements for job creation. And, while the number of EB-5 visas is capped, Trump mused that the federal government could sell 10 million gold cards to reduce the deficit. He said it could be great, maybe it will be fantastic. It’s somewhat like a green card, but at a higher level of sophistication, it’s a road to citizenship for people, and essentially people of wealth or people of great talent, where people of wealth pay for those people of talent to get in, meaning companies will pay for people to get in and to have long, long term status in the country, he said. Congress determines qualifications for citizenship, but Trump said gold cards would not require congressional approval. Power dept halts cable cuts, awaits High Court verdict SINGLE-WINDOW SYSTEM BEING PUT IN PLACE, SAYS CM; SERVICE PROVIDERS RUSH TO REPAIR DAMAGE THE GOAN I NETWORK PANAJI A day after the government slammed the brakes on its drastic action of cutting fiber optic and other cables unauthorisedly hanging on its poles which caused an internet outage hitting a wide range of operations, the Electricity Department has now diluted its stance on regulating or licencing these operations and will now await the outcome or directions coming from the case currently being heard by the Bombay High Court at Goa. INTERNET IMBROGLIO A top Electricity Department official said, whatever actions the department has taken so far are all “legally sound” but other factors like the largescale disruption caused has been taken into Did my duty, says executive engineer on govt’s decision PANAJI: The Electricity Department’s Executive Engineer, Kashinath Shetye, who was at the epicentre of Tuesday’s internet disruption imbroglio and seemingly elbowed out of the whole operation has said that he had only shouldered his responsibility and done his duty. “I have done my duty and served notices to over 200 such service providers,” Shetye said, adding that he will in the next couple of days document all these notices and the processes followed in the whole operation for the record of the department. He said he has no ill-feeling over the decision taken by the higher ups and the government to appoint Superintending Engineers as nodal officers to shoulder the responsibility which has seemingly sidelined him. account to halt the action for now. “Going forward we will wholly rely on the proceedings and interim directions coming from the honourable High Court,” the top official who spoke on condition of an- onymity told The Goan. Meanwhile, affected Internet Service Providers (ISPs) whose services were disrupted by the Tuesday action of the Electricity Department, >Continued on P8 Cabinet rejig buzz revives with BL Santosh’s visit next week THE GOAN I NETWORK PANAJI The scheduled visit of Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) national general secretary B L Santosh to Goa next week has once again reignited the buzz around a much speculated reshuffle of Chief Minister Pramod Sawant’s cabinet. BJP State president, Damodar (Damu) Naik has confirmed that Santosh will be coming to review the party’s organisational work in the State next week. Naik feigned ignorance of any proposal for changes in the government and sought to project Santosh’s visit as singularly directed at the party organisation building and restructuring. “Various committees of the party organisation could be restructured in the future and he (Santosh) will give instructions and hold discussions with us on it,” Naik said. Naik also said he was unaware if changes in the State cabinet will be part of the Central leader’s itinerary in Goa next week. Nonetheless, across the country where the BJP has governments in States, the role of Santosh has been pivotal in decision making both in the party’s organisation as well as any changes made in governments and cabinets. In Goa, the buzz around a cabinet reshuffle has been around since July last year when there were reports that the party’s central leadership has made up its mind to elevate Speaker Ramesh Tawadkar and a couple of the turncoats from the Congress yet to be compensated, including former chief minister, Digambar Kamat. It did not happen and the talk of the cabinet reshuffle resurfaced again in >Continued on P8